James Gillray was born in London in the Chelsey district. His father was Scottish and a war veteran. The young Gillray learned the profession of letter engraver and was later accepted as a student at the Royal Academy, working as an engraver time and again to finance his studies and livelihood. From a very young age he was interested in caricature, he especially loved William Hogarth, a very famous caricaturist of the 18th century who was his great idol. Very soon Gillray also began to publish caricatures himself, albeit at first under a fictitious name. Only little by little did drawings with his name appear. For many contemporaries and even today James Gillrey is considered "the father of political and social caricature". Of course, he also lived in a time of great political and social upheavals and also in a time when caricature as an important means of expression for depicting events and their interpretation became fashionable and suitable for the masses. Gillrey's intellect, his wit, his sometimes pitch-black humour and his gift for observation, but also his great talent for drawing made his works unique.
In his private life he was not so successful and happy. He suffered from arthritis or gout in his hands at a younger age, which caused him great pain, and his vision was also increasingly poor. Disabled in his work, he became melancholy and increasingly addicted to alcohol. James Gillray did not start a family either, but he probably lived with his publisher Hannah Humphrey for many years and thought about marrying her from time to time. At least contemporaries ascribe a relationship to the two and it is a fact that Hannah Humphrey took care of Gillray after he wanted to take his own life by jumping out of a window in 1811. He survived, but was repeatedly confronted with severe depressions and psychoses. In 1815 the artist died at the age of only 58 years. Among collectors the caricatures of James Gillray are still very popular. Key prints such as "Fashionable Contrasts" and "Light Expelling Darkness" have already fetched prices of 10,000 to 20,000 US dollars at auctions.
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.jpg "The Plum Pudding in Danger or State Epicures Taking a Little Supper, published 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Nelson")
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.jpg "A Voluptuary Under the Horrors of Digestion, July 2, 1792 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Württemberg-style Kiss, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1797 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Grand Coronation Procession of Napoleon I, Emperor of France, from the Church of Notre-Dame, 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "John Bull Taking a Luncheon, or British Cooks, cramming Old Grumble-Gizzard with Bonne-Chere, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1798 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "National conveniences, 1769 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-161499).jpg "Dido in Despair, published by Hannah Humphrey, 1801 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-297654).jpg "Tales of Wonder, published by H. Humphrey, London, 1802 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Destruction of the French Colossus, 1798 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Fashionable Contrasts, or The Duchess")
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.jpg "Fighting for the Dunghill or Jack Tar Settling Buonaparte, pub. 1798 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "New Morality, or The Promised Installment of the High Priest of the Theophilanthropes by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Germans Eating Sauerkraut by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Gillray cartoon on vaccination against Smallpox using Cowpox serum, 1802 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1757277).jpg "Pylades & Orestes (Stadtholder & His Secretary) by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Margaret")
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.jpg "Pantagruel")
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.jpg "The Hopes of the Party, Prior to July 14th, ---\"From Such Wicked Crown and Anchor-Dreams, Good Lord, Deliver Us.\" by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Hustings-Vox Populi, - \"We")
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.jpg "Sans-Culottes, Feeding Europe with the Bread of Liberty by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Spanish Bull Fight or the Corsican Matador in Danger, published 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "French Generals Retiring, on Account of their Health; - with Lepaux Presiding in the Directorial Dispensary by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Dagger Scene: or The Plot Discovered by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Presentation of the Mahometan Credentials - or - The Final Resource of French Atheists (from: Caricature, vol. 2) by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Nightly Visitors, at St. Ann")
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.jpg "Caricature of Louis Marie de la Révellière-Lépeaux, 1799 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "News from Calabria! Capture of Buenos Ayres! - The Comforts of an Imperial Dejeune at St Clouds by James Gillray")
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_Drowning_-_(MeisterDrucke-1755265).jpg "Fatal Effect of the French Defeat - Hanging and Drowning by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Triumphant Britons by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Duet. - Turn Fair Clora, Turn Ah Cruel, Turn Again by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Patriots Deciding a Point of Honour! or An exact representation of the Rencontre which took place at Coombe Wood on May 2nd 1807 between Little Paul the Taylor and Sir Francis Goose by James Gillray")
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.jpg "French Liberty - British Slavery by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Pacific-Overtures, or A Flight from St. Clouds")
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.jpg "A Hackney Meeting by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Copper Countenance, Selling by Private Contract, The Property of a Noble Lord Out of Office Having No Further Use for It by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The English Regency by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Democratic Leveling; - Alliance a la Francoise; - or - The Union of the Coronet and Clyster-Pipe by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Caning in Conduit Street - Dedicated to the Flag Officers of the British Navy by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Table")
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.jpg "The Friendly Agent by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Invisibles by James Gillray")
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.jpg "John Bull at His Studies. Attended by His Guardian Angel by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The First Kiss in Ten Years! or The Meeting of Britannia and Citizen François, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1803 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Sphere, Projecting against a Plane by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Republican - Hercules Defending His Country by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Wine Duty, or The Triumph of Bacchus and Silenus with John Bull")
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.jpg "Disciples catching the Mantle: the Spirit of Darkness overshadowing the Priests of Baal, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1808 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Doctor Indulged with his Favorite Scene by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Salute, - Vide, The Parade by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Horrors of the Irish-Union; - Botheration of Poor Pat! - or - A Whisper Across the Channel (from: Caricature, vol. 1) by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Blindman")
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.jpg "The Prophet of the Hebrews, - The Prince of Peace, Conducting the Jews to the Promised Land by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Bonus - Melior - Optimus, or the Devil")
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.jpg "Independence by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Pacific-Overtured, - or- a Flight from St Clouds- over the Water to Charlet. - a new Dramatic Peace now Rehearsing by James Gillray")
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.jpg "British Tars Towing the Danish Fleet into Harbour: the Broad Bottom Leviathan Trying to Swamp Billy")
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.jpg "A Kick at the Broad-Bottoms! - Emancipation of All the Talents! by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Delicious Dreams: Castles in the Air! - Glorious Prospects!, pub. 1808 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Royal Bullfight by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Opening of the Budget; - or - John Bull Giving His Breeches to Save His Bacon by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Patern-Staff - Weymouth by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Warm Birth for the Old Administration by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A New Administration, or - The State Quacks Administering by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Block for the Wigs - or, The New State Whirligig by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Battle of Bow-Street by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Last Resource; - or - Van-Buchells by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Political Candour, i.e. Coalition")
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.jpg "The Genius of France Triumphant - or - Britannia Petitioning for Peace - Vide. The Proposals of Opposition. by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Introduction of Citizen Volpone and his suite, at Paris (Napoleon Bonaparte; Arthur O")
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.jpg "The National Assembly Petrified / The National Assembly Revivified by James Gillray")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-184135).jpg "Integrity Retiring from Office! by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Pursuit of Knowledge by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1757038).jpg "A Diplomat, Settling Affairs at Stevens")
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.jpg "The Accommodating Spouse; Tyrant")
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.jpg "A new way to pay the National Debt, published 21st April, 1786 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The First Kiss this Ten Years! Or the meeting of Britannia and Citizen Francois, pub. 1803 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Finishing Touch by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Leaving off Powder, or a Frugal Family Saving the Guinea by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Sad Sloppy Weather by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Thirty Years Have I Lived in the Parish of Covent Garden and Nobody Can Say- Mistress Cole, Why Did You Do So? by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-392743).jpg "German Luxury or Repos a L")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-392736).jpg "Sampson overcome by a Philistine, pub. 1782 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Bridal Night by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Advantages of Wearing Muslin Dresses! dedicated to the serious attention of the fashionable ladies of Great Britain by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Dr Sangrado Curing John Bull of Repletion by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Taming of the Shrew. Katharine and Petruchio - The Modern Quixote, or, What You Will by James Gillray")
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.jpg "The Hopes of the Party, Prior to July 14th by James Gillray")
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.jpg "A Cockney and his Wife going to Wycombe, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1805 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Dido")
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.jpg "German Luxury, or Repos a l")
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.jpg "John Bull and the Sinking Fund or A Pretty Scheme for Reducing Taxes and Paying off the National Debt, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1807 by James Gillray")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-392418).jpg "Westminster-Conscripts under the Training Act, 1806 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Overthrow of the Republican Babel, Published by Hannah Humphrey in 1809 by James Gillray")
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_Clearing_the_Five_Bar_Gate_(verso)_-_(MeisterDrucke-1381471).jpg "Harmony Before Matrimony (recto); Clearing the Five Bar Gate (verso) by James Gillray")
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.jpg "News from Calabria! Capture of Buenos Ayres, or The Comforts of an Imperial Dejeune at St. Cloud")
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.jpg "Plate 1 from")
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.jpg "National Conveniences, published by Hannah Humphrey in 1796 by James Gillray")
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.jpg "Patriotic Regeneration, -Viz.- Parliament Reform")
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